Skoozeme, Skoozeme, Skoozeme

The Washington Metro

The other Washington (Washington, DC) has a subway system which, in
its 86 stations, has a total of 588 escalators. This is more
than any other US public transportation system, and Metro includes the longest escalators in the Western Hemisphere
(Wheaton)

The subway, when built by Morrison-Knudsen (opened approx. 1976), was a
state-of-the-art system. It features carpeted cars, with Automatic Train
Control (ATC) allowing the trains to precisely align their stops. Back in
the late 1970s and early '80s the trains and stations were remarkably
clean. (Now it's one of the more dirty systems in the country.)

One of the "upgrades" is the institution of mostly meaningless
announcements:

"Please move to the center of the car." -- The center of
the car is always the most crowded part of the car.

"Please use all doors." -- WTF? I thought passengers
naturally use all open doors. The vestibule doors are not used in Metro.
Do passengers need an announcement not to use the unopened doors on the
opposite side?

"You'll notice people [on the escalators] standing on the
right." -- and what does that mean? That you advertise
that patrons engage in dangerous practices? The posted signs say to stay
away from the sides precisely because escalator balustrades (sideplates)
are dangerous. (The announcements should clearly state, "Please
stand to the center of the escalators, away from the sides. Do not walk
on an escalator.")

Eating or drinking is not permitted anywhere on the system.... which is actually correct only in one jurisdiction.